Researchers have discovered that oligodendrocytes play an active role in learning motor tasks. Rodents whose oligodendrocyte precursor cells were blocked from maturation were unable to acquire a novel motor skill.
Cynthia McKelvey
When neuroscientists talk about the process of learning, they usually discuss...
Researchers have identified a key enzyme in astrocytes that turns on during the progressive stage of multiple sclerosis, apparently boosting the local immune response and promoting neurodegeneration. The team is following up by testing a repurposed drug that targets the enzyme in mice and human cells.
Carol Cruzan Morton
In the brain and spinal cord, neurons are the undisputed heads of state, the...
Klotho is known to play a role in a number of age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. New research suggests that a small molecule that boosts production of this protein may enhance maturation of OPCs into myelin-producing cells.
Cynthia McKelvey
According to Greek myth, Clotho was the youngest of the three Morai, the trio of fates responsible for...
The risk of relapse is higher in the postpartum period, but there are conflicting suggestions for women with MS about reducing this risk. Can exclusive breastfeeding alone prevent relapses? How soon after delivery should DMTs be reintroduced? Are any DMTs safe to take while breastfeeding?
Griselda Zuccarino-Catania, Ph.D.
For any parent, the first few months after delivery are tumultuous—adapting to a new...
RPC1063, an experimental oral immunomodulator, is looking promising as it progresses through clinical testing. At the ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS meeting in September, Amit Bar-Or presented results of the phase 2 trial suggesting the drug is as effective as and safer than its counterpart, fingolimod.
Cynthia McKelvey
RPC1063 may open the door to more convenient treatment options for relapsing-remitting MS, if...